Distance registering device



NOV 28, 1950 F. o. LINGENFELDER 2,531,448

DISTANCE REGISTERING DEVICE ATTORNEY Nov. 28, 1950 F. o. LINGENFELDER 2,531,448

DISTANCE REGISTERING DEVICE Filed May 14, 1946 2 Sheets-Shea?l 2 EuEEE o ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 28,950

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims.

The present invention relates to distance regis tering devices and more particularly to odometers.

An object of the present invention is to provide a distance registering device for registering the distances a vehicle has travelled within anyone of various speed ranges.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a device having a plurality of distance registering devices for registering the distances a 'vehicle has travelled within each of a number of speed ranges and a further distance registering device for registering the total distance a vehicle has travelled.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a device for registering the speed and distance travelled by a vehicle and which includes means responsive to the movement of a vehicle for positioning a speedometer and for selectively operating one of a plurality of odometers dependent upon the speed range indicated by the speedometer.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a device such as set out in the preceding object in which means positioned by the speedometer selectively controlv the connections between a device responsive to the movement of the vehicle and a plurality of odometers.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device having a plurality of distance registering devices which collectively indicate a predetermined distance and which individually indicate the distances within said predetermined distance travelled in each of several speed ranges.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved device to indicate the speed range within which a vehicle has last been driven.

A further object is to provide lights which are selectively illuminated in accordance with the speed at which the vehicle has most recently been driven for an appreciable period oi time.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from a consideration of the accompanying specication, claims, and drawing of which Figure 1 is a schematic view of my improved 'odometer arrangement associated with a speedometer of conventional construction,

Figure 2 is a front elevation view of my improved odometer and speedometer,`

Figure 3 is a side elevation View of my improved device,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view of the same, and 1Figure 5 is a sectional view of a detail thereof. Referring to the drawing, the numeral I0 is employed to designate a speedometer housing best vShown in its entirety in VFigures -2 and 3. As

shown in those two figures, the housing is generally rectangular in vertical cross-section, with the exception of a depending portion I I. Located 'within the housing I0 is a shalt I3 (Figure l) which is driven by a flexible driving shaft I4 connected to shaft E3 by means of a connector I5, the details of which are not shown. The driving shaft i4 is connected in the usual manner to the transmission of the vehicle or to some other suitable point of the driving mechanism of the vehicle. The shaft I3 is connected through means not shown with a magnet cooperating with a drag element I6 fragmentarily shown in Figure l. Both the magnet and drag element are located in the dependent portion II. The drag ele-ment is associated with the needle il of the magnetic speedometer. The action and construction of the speedometer are entirely conventional and it is considered unnecessary to show the details of the magnetic means for driving' needle I'I in accordance with the speed of rotation of shaft I3.

The needle Il is composed of a main portion I5 secured to the drag element I6, a conductive brush portion Zll secured to the main portion I9, and a pointer portion 2l. The brush portion 20 is insulated from the main portion at 22 and from the pointer portion at 23. The pointer portion 2! moves over a dial 24 having a circular scale 25 with indicia lines running to numerals 26 ine dicating the speed of the vehicle. It will be noted that these numerals 26 indicate the speed in increments of l0 miles an hour from zero to 100 miles an hour. Intermediate indicia lines ndicate intermediate speeds.

The dial 24 is provided with a plurality of further indicia lines 29, 3Q, 3|, 32, 33, and 34 which are employed to divide the dial into five speed ranges. Lines 29 and 30 define a speed range of 0 to 25 miles an hour, lines 3e and 3! a speed range of 25 to 45 miles an hour, lines 3I and 32 a speed range of 45 to 6 miles an hour, lines 32 and 33 a speed range of 6) to 80 miles an hour, and lines 33 and 34 a speed range of 80 to 1iOO miles an hour.

The conductive brush portion Eil of the indicator arm Il moves in conductive sliding engagement with two circular contact bars 3S and llt. |These contact bars 39 and et are each divided into a plurality of Yarcuate portions corresponding in arcuate length to the spacing between the various lines 29 to 313 and insulated from each other. In other words, each contact bar is divided into a number of sections corresponding to the speed ranges indicated by lines 2* to 34. For convenience in referring to them, the sections of Contact bar 39 are indicated by reference numerals 4|, 42, 4'3, 44., and 45, while the sections of the contact bar 4Q are indicated by the reference numerals s?, 48, 49, 50, and 5I. In the position shown, the speed of the vehicle is approximately 52 miles an hour so that the speed is within the range of 45 to G0 miles an hour. The connective portion of arm Il is thus in engagement with sections 43 and 49 of contact bars 39 and 40. As will be explained later, the conductive portion 25 in moving over the contact bars 39 and 4G causes the shaft I3 to be selectively connected to various odometers in accordance with the speed at which the vehicle is travelling. l

My apparatus comprises an odometer 54 and two further groups E2 and 53 of odometers. All of these odometers are of conventional form, each odometer consisting of a, plurality of dials carrying numerals extending from l to l0. The wheel carrying the numerals of lowest order is directly driven and upon making one complete revolution, advances the next wheel the distance of one numeral. Thus, each wheel is moved ahead the space of one numeral upon a complete rotation of the Wheel immediately preceding in descending order.

The odometer is permanently connected to shaft i3 through a shaft 55 and bevelled gears 66, 6'1, 6B, and are secured to opposite ends of shaft 55. Bevelled gear 5G cooperates with bevelled gear 5i secured to the shaft of odometer 54. The bevelled gear G8 meshes with bevelled gear carried by the shaft I3. The odometer G4 is thus continuously driven whenever the vehicle is in movement and registers the total mileage of vehicle. Thus, the odometer 3d functions in the same manner as the usual odometer unit employed in an automobile.

rlhe set 52 of odometers consists of five odometers 12, I3, It, IE, and '55. It will be noted that there is one of these odometers for each of the five speed ranges designated by lines 2S to 313. Means is provided in connection with each of the odometers for selectively' connecting it in driven relation with the main shaft I3. In the case of odometer EE, a shaft carri-es at its lower end a bevelled gear 'i0 which meshes with a bevelled gear 80 so that shaft is continuously driven by shaft I3. Slideably secured to shaft IS is a sleeve 5|. rEhe sleeve 8| is splined to shaft so as to be driven thereby, as best shown in Figure 5. A bevelled gear 82 is carried by sleeve 5| and is adapted to be moved, upon upward movement of sleeve 8|, into engagement with bevelled gear 53 secured to the driving shaft of odometer '52. rEhe sleeve 8| also carries a collar Cooperating with the sleeve 8| is an arm 85 pivoted at its lefthand end at 8l. The opposite end of arm 85 is forked and surrounds sleeve 8i between gear 52 and collar 85. A spring 88 biases the arm 86 and hence sleeve 3| downwardly to a position in which gear 82 carried by sleeve 8| is out of engagement with gear 83. Also secured to the arm '85 is a link 95 connected to a solenoid core 9! extending into a solenoid winding S2. One terminal of the solenoid winding is connected to ground at 93 and the other terminal is connected through a conductor 95 to the section 4| of the contact bar 39. When solenoid 92 is energized, the solenoid core 8| is drawn upwardly moving the sleeve 8| upwardly and bringing gear 82 into mesh with gear 83.- This re- The bevelled gears t6 and 5Sl shaft of the odometer.

4 sults in odometer 'I2 being connected in driven relation with the shaft I3.

The mechanism for selectively connecting odometers "I3, l5, and 'I6 with shaft I3 is identical to that just described in connection with odometer 12. It is accordingly not deemed necessary to describe these driving mechanisms in detail beyond referring to the solenoids which control their operation. In the case of odometer 13, the solenoid winding is designated by the reference character Sl. In the case of odometers I5 and 75, the solenoids are designated by the reference characters 98 and 98 respectively. When any one of these solenoids is energized, the associated odometer is connected in driven relation with the main shaft I3. Whenever the solenoid is deenergized, on the other hand, the associated odometer is disconnected from shaft I3 and remains unaffected by the rotation of shaft I3.

In the case of odometer I4, the sleeve 8| is carried by the shaft 65 in splined relation therewith. As with the other driving mechanisms, the sleeve carries a bevelled gear 82 adapted to mesh with the bevelled gear 83 secured on the driving A pivoted arm 86 controls the position of sleeve 8|, and this arm 86 is in turn controlled by a solenoid Winding |0I. As shown in the drawing, the solenoid winding |0| is energized and is effective to hold sleeve 8| in its upper position in which gears 82 and 83 are in engagement. It is understood that upon deenergization of solenoid IUI, the sleeve 8| moves downwardly under the action of its associated biasing spring 88 to disengage gears 82 and 83. The engagement or disengagement of gears 82 and 83 has no effect upon gears 6E and 51 which remain continuously in engagement.

The set 63 of odometers consists of two odometers |04 and |05. Each of these odometers consists of only three numeral wheels since it is necessary to register only very small mileages, as will be pointed out later. The driving shafts |06 and IUI of odometers |04 and |05 respectively are oppositely disposed and are directed toward each other. Secured to these shafts are bevelled gears I 09 and ||0. These gears cooperate with oppositely disposed bevelled gears III and ||2 secured to a sleeve I I3. The sleeve ||3 is splined to a shaft ||4 so as to be movable in a vertical direction while remaining in driven relation with shaft I I4. The shaft ||4 is connected through a slip-friction clutch ||8 with shaft ||5 which carries, at its upper end, a bevelled gear IIB meshing with gear III carried by shaft I3. The slip-friction clutch IIB is designed to allow slippage between shafts ||4 and ||5 when the resistance to movement of shaft I I4 exceeds a predetermined value. The odometers |04 and |05 are provided with stops to limit the movement of the odometer. In the case of odometer |04, a projecting lug |25 carried by the extreme lefthand wheel is adapted to engage a fixed stop |2| just as the numeral l of that wheel begins to appear in view, and while the wheel carrying this number is still connected to the other two wheels. Thus, the effect of the stop is to prevent further advancing movement of the odometer |04. Upon this occurring, the clutch I8 allows slippage between shafts ||4 and ||5 so as to prevent injury to the odometer |04` A similar lug 25 is carried on the extreme lefthand wheel of the odometer |05 and is engaged by a fixed stop |26. The lug |25 is so positioned on the lefthand wheel that when it engages stop |26, the numeral 1 of the lefthand Wheel is just coming into view. This is 5 while the lefthand wheel is still connected to the other two wheels. Again, when this occurs, the slip clutch I I8 is effective to permit relative movement of shafts ||4 and ||5.

The position of sleeve I I3 with respect to shaft ||4 is controlled by a lever |30 which is pivotally mounted at I3|. The extreme lefthand end of the lever' is forked and surrounds the sleeve ||3 between a collar |32 and a collar |33 carried by the sleeve ||3. The sleeve is biased downwardly by a spring |34 secured to the arm |30. Opposing the action of the spring |34 is a solenoid |35, the core of which is connected to lever |30. When the solenoid |35 is energized, the lefthand portion of lever |30 and hence of sleeve ||3 is held in their uppermost positions, shown in the drawing, yin which gear is in mesh with bevelled gears |09 and ||0. When the solenoid |35 is deenergized, the lefthand portion of lever |30 and the sleeve I3 are in their lowermost positions in which bevelled gear ||2 is in engagement with gears and ||0. When gear is in engagement with gears |09 and ||0, as shown, the odometer is advanced and the odometer |04 is driven backwards. The odometers |04 and |05 are Aof the type which can be reversibly driven. When gear ||2 is in engagement with gears |09 and |I0, the odometer v|04 is advanced and the odometer |05 is retracted.

The portion of lever |30 on the righthand side of the pivot point |8| engages a pivoted switchblade |38 cooperating with two opposed contacts |39 and |40 and which is biased into engagement with contact |39. The switchblade |38 and the contacts |39 and |40 control the energization of four electric lights |4I, |42, |43, and |45. Lights I 4| and |42 are red lights while lights |43 and |45 are green lights. Lights |4I and |43 are located adjacent odometer |04 while lights |42 and |45 are located adjacent odometer |05. Either lights |4| and |45 or lights |42 and |43,are illuminated depending upon the position of sleeve ||3 and hence dependent upon which odometer is being advanced and which is retracted, as will be explained in more detail in connectionk with the operation.

A dashpot |44 has its piston connected to the arm |30 so as to retard the movement of the arm in either direction.

The energization of solenoid |35 is controlled by the conductive portion 20 of pointer I1 and the Contact bar 40. The solenoid |35 is energized whenever the conductive portion 20 is engaging one of the sections 48, 40, 50, and 5|, depending upon the position of a manually adjustable switch |41. This switch comprises a knob |48 carrying a contact blade |49 which cooperates with three contacts |50, |5|, and |52. A switchblade |49 is of suicient arcuate length tobridge all three of these contacts. The knob |48 is provided with a pointer cooperating with numerals representing various speeds. In the example shown in the drawing, the numerals are 25, 45, 60, and B0. When the pointer is adjacent the numeral 25, the contact blade is engaging all three of the contacts |50, I5I, and |52. When the pointer is adjacent to numeral 45, as shown in the drawing, the contact bar |49 is bridging contacts |5I and |52. When the pointer of the knob |48 is adjacent to numeral 60, it engages only the contact |52. When the pointer is adjacent the numeral 80, the contact blade |49 is not in engagement with any of the contacts |50 to |52. The contacts |50, |5I, and |52 are connected by conductors |55, |56, and |51 to conductive sections 48, 49, and 50. The switch including switch knob |48 is adapted to control the speed at which the operation of odometer |05 is initiated. In certain instances, as will be explained later, my odometer arrangement is employed for checking on the driver to see if he remained within the proper speed range. It is accordingly desirable that knob |48 be inaccessible to the driver in these cases. Consequently, as best shown in Figures 3 and 4, the knob |48 is located within a recess |58 in the rear of the housing I0. A pivoted cover |59 is disposed so asto cover the opening |58. Suitable sealing means |63 may 'be employed to indicate [unauthorized removal of the cover |58.

A battery is indicated by the reference numeral |60. This battery is normally the regular auto mobile battery provided for starting, lighting, ,and ignition purposes. The negative terminal of this battery is connected to ground at |6|. The positive terminal is connected to a switch |62 which, if desired, may be the ignition switch.

The mechanism described so far, with the eX- ception of the battery |60 and the switch |62, is all located within the housing I0. This housing, as best shown in Figure 3, is secured within a flanged aperture in the instrument panel |65 by screws |66 or other suitable fastening means. The downwardly projecting portion of the housing, which encloses the magnet and magnetic drag cup I6, is disposed behind the instrument panel. As best shown in Figure 2, the front of the housing I0 is provided with a window |1| which exposes the indicia lines 25, the speed range indicia lines 30, 3|, 32, and 33, the pointer portion 2| of indicator arm I1, and the foremost row of numerals of each of the odometers 64, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, |04, and |05. The remainder of the mechanism is concealed behind the front cover of the housing and the dial 24.

Operation The various elements are shown in Figures 1 and 2 in the position which they assume when the vehicle is travelling at a speed of approximately 52 miles an hour. This speed is indicated by the position of the pointer 2| with re spect to the numerals 26 and is within the speed range of 45 to 60 miles an ho-ur. Under these conditions, assuming switch |62 to Ibe closed, a circuit is established to the solenoid |0| as follows: afrom the positive terminal of battery |00 through conductor |65, switch |62, conductors |66 and |61, the brush portion 20 of indicator I1, contact segment 43, conductor |68, solenoid |0|, and ground connections |69 and |6|. As a result of the energization of the solenoid |0I, the sleeve 0| is held upwardly by the lever 8S so that bevel gear 82 is in engagement with bevel gear 83 secured to the driving shaft of odometer 14. Since the vehicle is in motion and shaft I3 is being revolved in the direction indicated by the arrow adjacent gear 69, the odometer 14 is advanced in accordance with the movement of the vehicle. At the same time, the odometer 64, which is permanently. connected to shaft I3 is also being advanced. Odometer 14 will continue to be advanced as long as theI vehicle is moving within the speed range yof 45 to 60 miles an hour. I'f the speed changes, so that for example, it lies within the speed range of 25 to 45 miles an hour, in which range the brush portion 20 of indicator arm yII is in engagement with segment 42, the circuit traced to solenoid |0| will be interrupted. The insulation between the segments 4| to 45 is so selected in width as to be just slightly greater than the width of the conducting brush portion 20 so that whenever the brush portion moves on to one segment, it must leave a segment previously engaged by it. The interruption of the circuit to solenoid results in the spring 88 associated with that solenoid being effective to move the bevel gear 82 downwardly out of engagement with bevel gear 83 and thus stopping further advancement of odometer 14.

The movement of the brush portion into engagement with segment 42 not only interrupts the circuit to solenoid lill, as explained above, but also establishes the following circuit to sole noid 91, from the positive terminal of battery |60 through conductor |65, switch |52, conductors |66 and |61, brush portion 20, segment 42, conductor |14, solenoid 91, and gro-und connections and |6| to the negative terminal of battery |60. The energization of solenoid 91 causes the bevel gear 82 associated with it to be moved into engagement with the bevel gear 83 secured to the drive shaft of odometer 13. This will cause odometer 13 to be advanced.

Since solenoid 92 associated with odometer 12 is connected by conductor 95 to segment 4|, it will be obvious that when the vehicle is travelling at a speed of 0 to 25 miles an hour so that brush portion will be in engagement with segment 4|, the solenoid 92 will be energized and odometer 12 will be advanced. Similarly, solenoid 98 is connected by conductor |11 to segment 44 and solenoid 99 is connected by conductor |18 to segment 45. Thus, when the vehicle is travelling at a speed of 60 to 80 miles an hour, solenoid 98 will be energized and the odometer 15 will be advanced. When the vehicle is travelling at a speed from 80 to 100 miles an hour, solenoid 99 will be energized and the odometer 16 associated with that solenoid will be the one that is operated.

It will be apparent from the above that the odometers 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16 are selectively operated depending upon the speed at which the car is driven, while odometer 64 is operated continuously whenever the vehicle is moving. Thus, the odometer 64 indicates the total mileage traversed by the vehicle while the odometers 12 to 16 indicate the mileage travelled within the various i speed ranges. Thus, with the odometers in the position shown in the drawing, the vehicle has travelled 10,089.3 miles, of which '1,381.3 miles have been driven within the speed range of 0 to miles an hour, 1,689.5 miles have been driven within the speed range of 25 to 45 miles an hour, 839.2 miles within the range of to 60 miles an hour, and 173.3 miles within the to 80 miles an hour range. The car has not been driven at anytime within the 80 to 100 miles an hour range. While I have shown odometers '12 to '16 as each capable of registering a total mileage of only 9,999.9 miles, it is to be understood that where it is desired, an additional numeral wheel can be provided with each odometer to permit higher vmileages to.- be registered.

Referring now to the odometers |04 and |05, when the brush portion 20 is in the position shown and when the switch knob |48 is also in the illustrated position, a circuit is established to solenoid |35 as follows: from the positive terminal of battery |50, conductor |65,A switch |62, conductors |66 and |61, brush portion 20, segment 49, conductor |56, switch contact |5|, switch blade |49, conductors |85 and |80, solenoid |35 and ground connections |8| and |6| back to the negative terminal of battery |60. The result of the energization of solenoid |35 is that lever |30 is held in the position shown against the biasing action of spring |34 so that gear is held in mesh with gears |09 and H0, and bevelled gear 2 is held out of engagement with gears |09 and H0. Under these conditions, the odometer |05 is advanced and the odometer |04 is retracted.

It will be noted that the reading of odometer 04 is 6.5 miles while the reading of odometer |05 is 3.5 miles. This means that during the last 10 miles of travel, 31/2 miles have been driven above 45 miles an hour while 61/2 miles have been driven below 45 miles an hour. If the vehicle is driven continuously at a speed above 45 miles an hour, the odometer |04 will eventually reach the position at which shoulder |25 engages stop member |26. At this position, the speedometer will not quite register 10.0 miles. The stop is so designed to prevent further movement of the dial to the extreme left while the two previous dials are still coupled to it. Thus, when the dial to the extreme left is stopped, it is impossible to rotate the other two dials. Thereafter, neither the odometel` |05 nor the odometer |04 is moved and the shaft ||5 rotates without movement of shaft ||4 due to the slip clutch H8. The purpose of the stop |26 and the shoulder 25 is to prevent the odometers from reading a total greater than 10 miles. If it were possible to continuously advance odometer |05 and to retract odometer |04, the odometer |04 would eventually have a reading of 99.9 miles. Since the only purpose of the two odometers is to indicate the distribution of the driving from a speed standpoint within the last l0 miles, this would be undesirable. By reason of the stop |25 and the shoulder |26, this is avoided.

While the operation of the odometers |04 and |65 has been described with the conductive portion 20 in engagement with segment 49 corresponding to a speed of 45 to 60 miles an hour, it is to be understood that with switch knob |48 in the position shown, the same operation will take place when conductive portion 20 is in engagement with either of segments 50 and 5|. It will be recalled that the circuit to solenoid |35 was traced through conductor |80. The segment 50 is connected to this conductor by conductor |51, contact |52, switch blade |49, and conductor |85. The segment 5| is connected by conductor |86 to conductor |80. Thus, when the conductive portion is in engagement with segment 49, segment 50, or segment 5|, a circuit is established to solenoid |35 to cause odometer |05 and odometer |04 to be retracted.

If it is desired to have the odometer 05 advanced whenever the speed is above 25 miles an hour, the switch knob |43 is moved to a position in which the pointer is adjacent the numeral 25. Under these conditions, the segment 48 is also connected to conductor |80, this connection being effected by conductor |55, Contact |55, switch blade |49, and conductor |85. If, on the other hand, it is desired to have odometer |05 advanced only when the speed is above 60 miles an hour, the knob |48 is moved until its pointer is adjacent the figure 60. When this is done, the connection between segment 49 and the conductor is interrupted so that the solenoid |35 is energized only when conductive portion 20 is in engagement with segment 50 or segment 5|. Similarly, ifY it is desired to have the odometer |05 advanced only when the speed is above 80 miles an hour, then the switch knob I 48 is turned until its pointer is adjacent the gure 80. In this position, the switch blade |49 is out of engagement with all three of the contacts |50, |5I, and |52, and the only circuit which can be established to solenoid |35 is through segment 5| and conductors |88 and |80. It is to be understood that the knob |48 is normally adjusted to a speed beyond which it is not desired to have the vehicle exceed. This speed may be the legal speed limit. Again, in the case of a trucking concern, the speed could be the maximum speed. at which the owners of the trucks wished to have the trucks driven. While the arrangement shown for purposes of illustration provides a limited number of speeds to select from, it will be appreciated that the switch |48 can be provided with a much larger number of contacts, and that the contact strip 40 can be divided into a much larger number of segments. For example, each segment might, if desired, correspond to a variation of ve miles in speed.

In order to prevent an unauthorized person from changing the setting of knob |48, it is, as previously pointed out, located within a recess |58 behind a closure |59. This closure is normally held in place by a seal |63 which will show evidence of having been tampered with if the closure |59 is opened by such an unauthorized person.

Whenever the conductive member 20 moves to a position in which it is not in engagement with a segment not connected to conductor |80 (for example, segment 48 with switch |48 in the position shown in the drawing), the circuit to solenoid |35 is deenergized and the spring |34 is effective to move the sleeve I3 downwardly to a position in which bevelled gear I l2 is in engagement with gears |09 and ||0. At the same time, bevelled gear III is moved out of engagement with gears |09 and 'IIO. This results in a reversal in the direction of the odometer shafts I@ and |01 so that odometer |04 is now advanced and odometer |535 is retracted. Thus, whenever the speed is below the speed for which the switch |48 is set, the odometer I 04 is advanced while the odometer |05 is retracted.v When, on the other hand, the speed is above the speed for which switch |48 is set, the odometer |05 is advanced and the odometer |04 is retracted. Thus, the total mileage indicated by the two odometers is always the same, miles. As with odometer |05, a stop is effective to limit advancement of odometer |04 whenever the mileage indicated by odometer |04 is approximately 10. Thereafter the clutch I I8, permits continued rotation of shaft ||5 without rotation of shafts |06 or |01. The lights |4I, |42, |43, and |45 serve to indicate the speed range Within which the vehicle was last driven. When the solenoid is energized to cause advancement of odometer |05 a circuit is established to red light |42 as follows: from the battery through conductor |65, switch |62, conductor |66, conductor |81, switchblade |38, contact I 40, conductor |88, light |42 and ground connections |89 and I 6I back to battery |50. At the same time, the green light |43 adjacent odometer 63 is energized by a circuit extending from battery |60 to conductor |88 through the path just traced and from conductor |88 through conductor |94, light |43, and ground connections |95 and |6| back to battery |60. When, on the other hand, the solenoid |35 is deenergized, a circuit is established from battery I 50 through switch blade |38, contact |39, conductors ,|90 and |96, red light |4|, and ground connections I9I and IBI to the other terminal of battery |60. Under these conditions, a circuit is also established to green light |45 which is connected to conductor |99 and through ground connections |91 and III to the negative terminal of battery |60. The lights |4I, |42, |43, and |45 are located behind the front panel of the speedometer, lights |4| and |43 being adjacent odometer |94 and lights |42 and |45 adjacent odometer |05. Thus, the odometer which is being advanced is illuminated by a red light and that which is being retarded by a green light. The dashpot I 44 is effective to prevent the switch blade |38 from immediately changing its position upon the speed being changed from a value at which solenoid |32: would normally be energized to one at which the solenoid |35 would be deenergized, The purpose of this is to insure that if the vehicle is being driven at a speed above the desired maximum, the circuit to red light |42 will remain closed during the period required for the vehicle to come to a stop and for a short period thereafter. Thus, even though the driver must of necessity pass through a range of speeds below the offending speed, the red light |42 will still remain illuminated for a short period. If the switch |62 has been opened, reclosure of this switch by the oilicer or other person investigating the recent driving conditions will cause light |42 again to be illuminated. 4

While I have shown the dashpot |44 as connected to arm |30, it may if desired control only switch blade |38. As shown, it delays the change in rotation of odometers |04 and |05 upon a change in speed. Since the lag is approximately the same when the speed is being advanced out of the desired range as when it is being retarded into the desired range, the error in the reading of the odometers will not be appreciable in the majority of cases. The arrangement shown has the advantage that the lights |4| and |42 always indicate which odometer is being advanced. As pointed out above, however, where this lag is not desired in the transfer between odometers |04 and |05, the dashpot can be associated with the switch blade |38 independently of lever |30 and the switch blade can be yieldably engaged by lever |30 to rpermit independent movement of the latter in either direction.

It will be seen that I have provided a speedometer and an odometer arrangement in which provision is made for, at all times, registering the number of miles travelled in various speed ranges. It will also be seen that my registering device provides for indicating the distances travelled within various speed ranges within the last predetermined number of miles travelled. At the samer time, I have made provisian by means of lights for indicating, even after the vehicle has been stopped, ,the speed range within which the vehicle was last driven for any appreciable time. It will further `be seen that the device which I have described, provides a means for checking upon the driving history of a vehicle both over a long period of time and over a relatively short period of time.

It is to be understood that the apparatus employed is shown in somewhat schematic form for purposes of simplicity in illustration. The invention is in no Way limited to` this particular apparatus. For example, the various odometers may be mechanically controlled, if desired. In general, the invention is to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination, speed indicating means, a plurality of odometers, one for each of a plurality of speed ranges, driving means comprising a device responsive to the movement of a vehicle to drive said speed indicating means and said odometers, means for selectively reversing the relative direction in which each one of said odometers is driven with respect to the oth-er, and means including mechanism associated with said speed indicating means for controlling said reversing means to cause said driving means to advance the odometer corresponding to the speed range indicated by the speed indicating means and to retract the odometer corresponding to another speed range so that the odometers collectively indicate a constant total predetermined distance.

2. In combination, speed indicating means, a plurality of odometers, one for each of a plurality of speed ranges, driving means comprising a device responsive to the movement of a vehicle to drive said speed indicating means and said odometers, means for selectively reversing the relative direction in which each one of said odometers is driven with respect to the other, means including mechanism associated with said speed indicating means for controlling said reversing means to cause said driving means to advance the odometer corresponding to the speed range indicated by the speed indicating means and to retract the odometer corresponding to another speed range so that the odometers collectively indicate a constant total predetermined distance, and means associated with said odometers to indicate the one last advanced.

3. In combination, mechanism responsive to the movement of a vehicle, a plurality of distance registering devices, one for each of a plurality of ranges of speed of a vehicle, means comprising a device responsive to the speed of movement of the vehicle and operative selectively to cause said movement responsive mechanism to advance the distance registering device corresponding to the existing speed range of the vehicle, said last named means also comprising a disengageable driving connection between said movement responsive mechanism and said last named distance registering device for driving it in said advancing direction, and a reversely operating disengageable driving connection between said movement responsive mechanism and another of said distance measuring devices, said driving connections being interconnected so that when said rst named connection is engaged to advance the rst named distance registering device, said further reversely operating driving connection is engaged to retract the other' distance registering device whereby said distance registering devices collectively indicate a constant total predetermined mileage.

4. In combination, mechanism responsive to the movement of a vehicle; a plurality of distance registering devices, one for each of a plurality of ranges of speed of a vehicle; disengageable,

driving connections between said movement responsive mechanism and each of said distance registering devices for selectively advancing said devices; means including a device responsive to the speed of the vehicle for causing engagement of the connection between said movement responsive mechanism and that one of said distance registering devices corresponding to the existing speed of the vehicle; a plurality of electrically operated signal devices, one foreach of said speed ranges; means to selectively energize one or another of said signal devices corresponding to the speed range in which the vehicle is being driven; and means including a device initially operated in connection with the engagement of the driving connection to the indicating device for maintaining said corresponding signal device energized after the vehicle ceases to be driven in that speed range.

5. In combination, mechanism responsive to the movement of a vehicle, a plurality of distance registering devices, one for each of a plurality of ranges of speed of a vehicle, means including a device adapted to respond to the speed of movement of the vehicle operative selectively to cause said movement responsive mechanism to advance the distance registering device corresponding to the speed of the vehicle, two color luminous signal means associated with said distance registering devices for simultaneously producing signals of different color adjacent to different ones of said registering devices, a device movable between a plurality of positions corresponding to theranges of speed of the vehicle for simultaneously changing the color of the signals adjacent said different devices, and means operatively connected with said speed responsive means for positioning said movable device so as to cause said signal means to signal with light of one color adjacent the distance registering device corresponding to the speed range within which the vehicle was last driven and to signal with the light of the other color adjacent the distance registering device corresponding to the speed range within which the vehicle was driven prior to entering the previously named speed range.

FREDERICK O. LINGENFELDER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Germany May 5, 1938 

